The Legacy and Controversies of Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s Former Prime Minister

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy‘s Former Prime Minister, Dies at 86

Silvio Berlusconi, the flamboyant former prime minister of Italy, passed away at the age of 86, according to reports from the Italian media on June 12, 2023. Berlusconi was hospitalized last week for planned medical checks related to his chronic leukemia. Berlusconi served as Italy‘s prime minister on multiple occasions, beginning in 1994, and left an indelible mark on Italian politics with his abrasive and populist style. His media empire had a profound impact on Italian culture and politics, and he also owned the country’s largest publishing house, the newspaper Il Giornale, and the AC Milan soccer club.

From Game Show Host to Media Mogul

Berlusconi’s rise to power began in the 1970s with a popular game show that featured a strip tease segment. He parlayed his success into a massive media empire, Mediaset, becoming Italy‘s biggest media mogul and building a media monopoly that helped propel him into politics. With a revolving door of soap operas and scantily clad showgirls, his networks molded an adoring audience into a virtual electorate that turned him into a perpetual candidate.

The Rise of Populism

In the early 1990s, as bribery scandals toppled the political establishment, Berlusconi filled the vacuum and ran for office. With a rags-to-riches story, he promised Italians a rosy dream of prosperity and lower taxes, which won him broad support and helped him sweep to power in the 1994 general elections. Berlusconi’s government collapsed just seven months later, but he remained a dominant political force for the next two decades.

As prime minister, Berlusconi wielded power that many viewed as closer to tyranny than democracy; he consolidated control over Italy‘s media and broadcasting, winning control of all state-run broadcasting as well, thanks to the absence of any conflict-of-interest legislation. He developed close personal ties with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the late Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. Despite his schoolboy pranks, off-color jokes, and racist remarks, Berlusconi became the longest-serving prime minister in Italian history, governing at different times between 1994 and 2011, for a total of approximately nine years.

The Fall from Grace

Despite his impressive run, Berlusconi’s legal troubles finally caught up with him. He survived multiple corruption trials and tawdry tales of orgies and paying for sex with a minor. When the European debt crisis hit Italy in 2011, the financial markets forced him to step down as prime minister for the last time. Berlusconi’s political career came to an ignominious end in 2014 when he was ousted from parliament after being convicted of tax evasion. His four-year jail term was commuted to four hours a week assisting dementia patients.

Legacy, Controversies, and Advice

Berlusconi leaves behind a mixed legacy that will continue to be debated. His media empire had a profound impact on Italian culture and politics, but his abrasive and populist style trashed political norms and tainted Italy‘s image on the world stage. As a political leader, he concentrated more power in his hands than any other democratic or liberal leader in history, leading some to call his reign a “tyranny.”

Italian politics is still recovering from the damage wrought by Berlusconi’s reign, and the country must continue to work to restore its reputation on the world stage. While populism can be an effective political tool, it can also be detrimental to democracy if it leads to the concentration of power in the hands of one person. As Italy continues to grapple with political instability and economic challenges, it is essential for leaders to put the needs of the country and its people first and foremost, rather than their own interests or ambitions.